“Ideal Shape” Profile: Indian Actor “Arjun Rampal”, 36

FOUR PACKS CONTINUES TO SEARCH THE GLOBE TO FIND SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLES FOR OGGIES…ARJUN RAMPAL WAS INTERVIEWED HERE AND IS RIGHT ON THE MONEY…EAT OFTEN, EAT RIGHT AND RESPECT YOUR BODY…HIS EXERCISE REGIMEN IS “HIGH-INTENSITY” INTERVAL TRAINING…BINGO…HE KEEPS HIS METABOLISM UP THROUGHOUT THE DAY…DRINKS COFFEE TOO…READ INTERVIEW BELOW…OUTSTANDING…

“I snack on fruits if I need to. Dinner is a soup and-salad affair. I believe in smaller, more frequent meals, as it revs up my metabolism.”

It is also his supertoned body. Arjun Rampal has come a considerable way since designer Rohit Bal spotted him in a Mumbai discotheque and got him striding down the ramp of success.

He orders for a black coffee and stretches back as we settle down, but his cool composure is slightly dented as I order a cold coffee with ice cream.

As we chat, he shoots mischievous glances at the calorie-cramped glass in my hand.

That’s what Rampal means by making fitness a way of life: he may not believe in dieting, but he does believe in eating intelligently. Unlike me.

Does fitness give you a high?

I believe that fitness needs to come from within you. You need to respect your body. Only then will you have the zeal to maintain it. For me, keeping fit is a part of my lifestyle.

So fitness is not always hitting the gym. Gymming can get boring. So, I also run, go for a swim or play tennis. My trainer, Zarine Watson, has introduced me to core training that increases my inner strength.

It’s not about how much weight I can lift; it’s simply a case of how much I can increase my stamina. I’ve learnt to work out my full body. I have discovered that my balance has improved too.

A formula that works for you?

I staunchly believe in Tabata, the high-intensity training regimen. A Tabata workout follows a training cycle of 20 seconds of maximum intensity exercise with 10 seconds of rest, repeated without pause, eight times, for a total of four minutes.

In a group, you can keep score by counting how many lifts or jumps or whatever you do in each of the 20-second rounds. I do everything 18 times.

So at times I finish the workout in 40 minutes flat, but it’s exhausting. On some days, we do it differently and my workout can stretch to 90 minutes. The variation keeps me fit.

I used to be an athlete and even ran the 400 metre stretch for Tamil Nadu. I have always been active. Gymming came later to achieve a better-toned body which is a must in my profession.

I’m more of an outdoors person and I love tennis, cricket, football and running. My motivation is driven more by the stick than the carrot. If I don’t train and if I get out of shape, the guilt pushes me back to the gym!

Do you chant a diet mantra?

Yes. It’s, don’t diet! I am blessed with a good metabolism and as long as I work out, carbs don’t add to my weight.

If I need a leaner, meaner look for a film, I go off carbs for a bit. On my ‘fit’ days, (I take a break from this regimen occasionally) my day begins with eight boiled egg whites and cereal.

I follow it up with papaya. I take a banana with me when I go gymming for some instant energy. Lunch is simple dal, roti and sabzi.

I snack on fruits if I need to. Dinner is a soup and-salad affair. I believe in smaller, more frequent meals, as it revs up my metabolism.

What’s the drink that fuels you?

Black coffee! I haven’t acquired a taste for green tea and I don’t intend to. I like my coffee black with a little sugar, and it keeps my metabolism up! I don’t mind the occasional Gatorade while I’m gymming.

How do you look so calm?

My workout is a great de-stresser. I do yoga at times, or knock around the tennis court occasionally.

The endorphins iron out the stress. And of course, spending time with my family is a great stressbuster.

I am a family man. Chatting with Mehr and watching my two daughters grow is the world’s best feel-good factor! I love to be with my wife and kids, checking out the restaurants or just being together.

I’ve just come back from a month-long vacation where I simply lay back and let time take its course. I spent time with Mehr and my daughters and took it easy on workouts.